Liverpool got back to winning ways with a 4-2 win over Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday, though they had to survive a late Spurs push. (More Football News)
Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott were the stars, getting a goal and an assist each to help the Reds avoid a third straight home defeat in all competitions.
Andrew Robertson and Cody Gakpo got in on the act as Liverpool cruised into a 4-0 lead, though Richarlison and Son Heung-min scored to make matters interesting, ensuring this fixture became the highest-scoring in Premier League history in the process.
Spurs remain in fifth, seven points below Aston Villa in fourth, while Liverpool are third, five points off leaders Arsenal, though they would need an almighty slip-up from either of the top two to stand a chance of winning the title.
The warning signs were there early from Liverpool, with Guglielmo Vicario smothering Salah’s shot on the line before Cristian Romero cleared Elliott’s follow-up.
Salah grabbed the opener 16 minutes in, latching onto Gakpo’s cross to cushion his 18th goal of the season past Vicario, who got a hand to it.
The Reds’ dominance continued – Luis Diaz tried an acrobatic attempt and Elliott saw a curler saved by Vicario, but Liverpool’s pressure told again before the break.
Vicario got down to Salah’s crisp effort but could only parry it into the path of Robertson, who tucked into an open net on the rebound.
Spurs’ display did not improve after the break, and Gakpo thumped in Elliott’s cross after Emerson Royal was dispossessed.
Elliott capped a fine individual display in the 59th minute, curling a sumptuous shot into the top-left corner, giving Vicario no chance.
Richarlison’s introduction from the bench sparked Spurs into life, as he slotted in his 11th goal of the campaign with 18 minutes remaining.
The Brazil international turned from scorer to provider five minutes later, laying it off for Son to finish.
Salah squandered a great chance to put the contest to bed at the other end, but Alisson denied Richarlison a second – with Joe Gomez preventing Brennan Johnson nodding in the rebound – as Liverpool saw out a morale-boosting win in Jurgen Klopp’s penultimate home game.
Salah Back On Song
Salah grabbed the headlines last week after a spat with Klopp on the touchline during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at West Ham.
But, restored to the starting XI, Salah was back on form on Sunday. He hit the crossbar before he opened the scoring, and then got an assist when he teed up Elliott – that makes him the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals and provide 10+ assists in three consecutive seasons. He is also only the second player to tally 10+ in both in five separate seasons in the competition overall, after Wayne Rooney.
Salah, who had a goal ruled out for offside late on, has now netted 12 goals against Spurs, only scoring more against Manchester United (14) in all competitions, while he is also the joint-top scorer in Liverpool v Tottenham matches in the Premier League, scoring nine, level with Harry Kane.
Super-Sub Richarlison
Spurs, who have lost four league games in a row for the first time since November 2004, were left to rue a dismal showing for the first hour, but would things have been different had Ange Postecoglou used Richarlison from the start?
The former Everton man has been linked with a move away from Spurs this week, but he turned the tide at Anfield, where he has scored three times in the Premier League.
Richarlison’s hold-up play and pass into Son for Spurs’ second was also excellent. That goal from the South Korean was the 191st scored in this fixture in the Premier League, meaning it overtook Arsenal v Liverpool as the fixture with the most goals in the competition’s history.
